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Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS Global Finals 2014 28 July – 1 August Great Britain – Finalists, Challenges, Judges and Hall of Fame
Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS Global Finals 2014 28 July – 1 August Great Britain – Finalists, Challenges, Judges and Hall of Fame
Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS Global Finals 2014 28 July – 1 August Great Britain – Finalists, Challenges, Judges and Hall of Fame
The Diageo Reserve World Class Global Final is the industry´s most prestigious and respected mixology competition which sees the over 50 of the best bartenders in the world compete in a series of innovative challenges around Great Britain in a bid to crowned the world´s best bartender. There is a long way to make it to the global final. 12 months of national and regional heats around the globe to identify the leading mixologists in the world today. This will be the sixth year of the Diageo Reserve World Class and every year it elevates the skill and craft of the bartender to be on a par with other respected craftspeople. This year, for the first time ever, consumers will also be able to participate with masterclasses, cocktail themed events and challenges themselves, bringing fine drinking culture and the craft of mixology to life. The skill and talent of World Class bartenders is honed using the collection of fine spirits from the Diageo Reserve luxury portfolio such as Tanqueray No Ten Gin, Zacapa rum, Johnnie Walker Blue Label blended Scotch Whisky and Ketel One Vodka. The theme of this year is discovery – discover the world of exquisite spirits, breath-taking mixology and incredible craftmanship.
JUDGE & GURUS
Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese – has been making drinks for the rich and famous, presidents and royalty for 40 years. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the drinks industry.
Peter Dorelli – a veteran bartender of international repute best known as the former head bartender of the iconic American bar at London´s Savoy Hotel. He has served everyone from royalty to film stars including Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. After retirement he has been active in education.
Steve Olson – as one of America´s foremost experts, lecturers and writers on fine wine, beer, spirits and sake, with an impressive palate. His most recent venture is Viktor & Spolis, a mezcaleria in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Julie Reiner – represents the créme of the contemporary New York cocktail scene. This Queen of Cocktails has nurtured some of the city’s best talent who have gone on to open leading bars of their own.
Dale DeGroff – known as ‘King Cocktail’. Dale helped initiate the New York cocktail revolution, is credited with bringing back fresh ingredients to the bar and for perfecting the Cosmopolitan during his reign at The Rainbow Room.
Daniel Estremadoyro – based in Cordoba, Argentina, Daniel is co-owner of The Real McCoy Bar and Tommy Gun, two of the leading cocktail bars in Argentina. A former mixology trainer who has been part of the global jury panel of several international bartending competitions and conducts seminars about mixology.
Gaz Regan – the artist formerly known as Gary Regan is a charismatic and articulate Brit born to pub-owning parents who made his name in the New York bar scene then turned his hand to publishing. Today, the author of several best-selling books and he still writes a column on cocktails for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Hidetsugu Ueno – Ueno-San is the embodiment of Japanese style, precision and theatricality. His small bar in Ginza, Tokyo, Bar High Five, is the epitome of modern hostmanship, where he personally looks after a select number of guests, makes drinks with the renowned ‘hard shake’ technique, and carves his famous ice diamonds – all elements among the most imitated techniques in modern bartending.
OVERVIEW OF THE CHALLENGES
BLEND OF TWO WORLDS
Bartenders will be asked to present a Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve cocktail with a twist inspired by their local market. They can incorporate flavours ingredients, techniques etc. This is a greatway to introduce them and their home to the competition.
SENSORY CHALLENGE
Bartenders will be asked to present two single malt serves that tantalise all the senses. They must think about every element of the environment and base spirit, they will be required to make one with Singleton and the other with any of the classic malts.
A TALE OF TWO MARTINIS
Bartenders will be asked to create two martinis with Tanqueray No. TEN at the base (1) a classic recipe paying homage to the humbling beginnings of the ultimate cocktail (2) a modern version for the future palates and forward thinkers. Taking the Martini into the next generation.
5 STAR CLASSICS
The groups will each head to a classic five star venue and be asked to create three classic cocktails by the gurus and the bar manager. This challenge will test classical knowledge and the ability to fit comfortably behind the best bars in the world.
COCKTAILS AND THE WRITTEN WORD
Taking inspiration from the great writers in our past, the bartenders will be asked to create a drink inspired by their literary hero. They will have to incorporate theatre into their performance on the biggest stage of all.
MARKET CHALLENGE & GASTRONOMY CHALLENGE
The bartenders will be let lose in Borough Market to search for fresh produce, they will then have to make a Ketel One market cocktail before heading above the clouds in the shard to create a perfect match to dishes created by a renowned chef.
COCKTAILS AGAINST THE CLOCK
The bartenders will be against the clock in creating classic cocktails with individual twists, they will be doing this against their own selected soundtrack.
THE SIGNATURE SERVE
The bartenders will be asked to create a signature serve that will make them famous. What is their legacy, what is their cosmopolitan?
WORLD CLASS FINALISTS 2014
Reinhard Pohorec – Austria
Hannah Von Ongevalle – Belgium
Laérico Zulu – Brazil
Grant Sceney – Canada
Andreas Trattner – Cayman Island
Jiahui Xi – China
Luis Humberto Cano – Colombia
Hardeep Rehal – Danmark
Amed ”Miho” Yahi – France
Maxim Kilian – Germany
Teo Spiropoulos – Greece
Shekhar Grover – GTME
Wallace Lau – Hong Kong
Varun Sudhakar – India
Arei I Gusti Salit – Indonesia
Bar Shira – Israel
Claudio Perinelli – Italy
Kaori Kurakami – Japan
Park Sung Min – Korea
Leow YinYing – Malaysia
Ricardo Montes Sandoval – Mexico
El Mostafa Noureddine – Morocco
Leroy Soumokil – Netherlands
Jason Clark – New Zeeland
Jesper Høst – Norway
Ensor Almengor – Panama
Joel Chirinos – Peru
Yoma Rivera – Phillipines
Jonatan Melendez Maldoado – Puerto Rico
Aida Ashor – Romania
Peter Chua – Singapore
Anton Velich – Slovakia
Giacomo Gianotti – Spain
Rikard Enell – Sweden
Alexandros Nicolaides – Switzerland
Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn – Thailand
Karlina Keicha Permell – Trinidad & Tobago
Onurcan Gencer – Turkey
James Fowler – United Kingdom
Charles Joly – United States
Le Thanh Tung – Vietnam
Jaroslav Janosek – Czech Republic
Brent Anslin Perremore – South Africa
Vitaly Ekimenko – Russia
REPORTER ON SITE
Karoline Nordefors will be reporting from London the 31/7-2/8. Follow @nordefors on instagram and twitter for live updates.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2013 David Rios, Spain – describing himself as a self-taught bartender, David had humble beginnings as a maître‘d and sommelier in restaurants. Today, David owns and operates The Jigger Cocktail, a Bilbao-based bar, with his brother and is a recipient of both national and international awards.
2012 Tim Philips, Austraila – after being a member of the ‘Australian Bar Team of the Year’ at Black Pearl, Tim travelled to London to further polish his skills at Milk & Honey, before stints at its sister venues in New York and Chamonix. Having returned with his expertise to Australia, Tim won, , and has now set up his own bar with friends in Sydney.
2011 Manabu Ohtake, Japan – Manabu has been bartending for 16 years, and is not the reserved Japanese bartender you might expect. His performances behind the bar and tactic secured him a place in the Japanese Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS final three years running.
2010 Erik Lorincz, United Kingdom – is impeccably turned out with a gentlemanly manner. His first role model in mixology was his grandmother in his native Slovakia, a great herbalist who would prepare tinctures, oils and teas. He continues to employ such alchemy behind the bar, frequently infusing spirits with botanicals. After moving to London he worked at Attica club in Soho and the Connaught Bar before moving to The Savoy for its reopening in 2010. Erik has become a prominent figure in the bar world demonstrating that style and substance can coexist happily in bartending.
2009 Aristolelis Papadopoulos, Greece – was the first ever Diageo RESERVE WORLD CLASSTM BARTENDER OF THE YEAR global champion back in 2009. Today, he continues to work behind the stick at his own bar in Thessaloniki, Greece but also travels the world as a Diageo Reserve roving ambassador. With a real attention to detail and an infectious passion for creating new drinks and ingredients, it’s obvious why he was felt to personify the qualities of a champion.
